Means for straightening crooked toes



M. SAHLIN MEANS FOR STRAIGHTENING CROOKED TOES Sept. 22, 1925.

Filed Feb. 5. 1923 gwuentom IV. SaNi/Q.

l etented Sept. 22, 1925.

lTD S l HEM MAX SAI'ILIN, (3F DENVER, COLORADO.

MEANS FOR STRAIGEITENING CROOKED TOES.

Application filed. February 5, 1923.

1 '0 all 1,072 am it may 0011 cam Be it known that 1, MAX SAHLIN, acitizen of the United States. residing at Denver, the city and county ofDenver, and tiltate of Col orado, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Means for Straightening Crooked Tees; and I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will. enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference markedtl'iereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to means straightening crooked toes.

It is well known that some people, due to various causes, have toeswhich incline inwardly and cause them considerable pain and annoyance.The big toe is usually the one that causes the greatest amount oftrouble and when this is crooked, it usually exerts sutlicient pressureon the other toes to make them crooked and to cause the development ofsoft corns between the toes.

It has been found by experiment that the big too can be straightened ifsome force is applied thereto to prevent it from assuming its crookedform. The straightening caimot be accomplished all at once, but must be91f? fected gradually and naturally requires a considerable period oftime.

It is the obj cct of this invention to provide a simple and effectivemeans that can be cheaply made and which is adapted to hold the big toein any desired position and which can be readily adjusted so as toincrease the correction action at proper intervals.

My invention, briefly speaking, consists of an insole of leather, fiberor other suitable material which has ll1'1l')6(l(l6(l transverselytherein, at a point directly beneath the toes, a piece of metal havinga. slot. In the slot I mount a standard that projects upwardly ashortdistance and is adapted to hold a shield that engages'the inner surfaceof the big toe. I also provide means for clamping the standard to anypart of the slot so that proper adjustments may be made. i

In order to better show the construction of my device, and to moreclearly describe the operation thereof, I shall have reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a foot having the straightener appliedthereto.

fo r

Serial No. 616,881.

Fig. is a plan view of a portion of my device.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4ll, Fig. 2. s

Fig. 5 is a fragn'ientary view similar to that shown in Fig. 4, butdrawn to a larger scale; and

6 is a fragmentary plan view showing the manner in which the protectivepad is applied thereto.

The same reference characters will be used to indicate the same partsthroughout the several views.

Numeral l de:--'igniates an insole of leather, rubber, fiber or anyother suitable material which has a transverse slot near the toethereof, at a point which will be directly beneath the middle of the bigtoe. Secured to the sole is a metal plate 2 which has a slot 3 extendinglongitudinally thereof. Plate 2 is preferablyv formed of a thin piece ofsteel or similar material in which the sides of the slot 3 are formed byportions 1 which have been bent downwardly from the material removed toform the slot. The sides 41 fit into the slot in the insole in themanure: shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The plate 2 is provided with a pluralityof projections 5 wlwse ends 6 may be inserted through the insole andwhich serve to hold the plate in place. lilovably mounted in the slot 33is a standard 7, one end of which is provided with a head 8. Adjacent tothe head '8 there is a rectangular portion 9 which is of such a widththat it fits snugly between the sides 4 of the slot 3 so that it caneasily be moved longitudinally of the slot. The portion 10 of thestandard, directly above the rectangular part 9, is threaded and isengaged by a nut 11 which can be turned down so as to clamp the standardagainst relative movement with respect to the plate 2. Secured to theupper portion of the standard 7 is a shield 12 which is curved so as toconform to the inside of the big toe which will rest thereagainst in themanner shown in Fig. 1. The shield 12 may be secured to the standard inany suitable manner, but I have shown a loop 13 formed from the materialof the shield itself and believe this to be a satisfactory and simplemeans for the purpose. It is evident that by loosening the nut 11, thestandard may be moved to any position along slot 3 and when the nut istightened the standard will be clamped against movement.

hen my device is worn, it is desirable that the foot be enclosed in astocking having a separate compartment for the big toe, in the mannershown in Fig. 1. The standard 7 is adjusted so that when the foot is inplace on the insole the big toe, which rests against the shield 12, willbe straightened to a certain extent. The device is worn in this positionfor several days, or until the toe has become accustomed to remaining inthe position, when the standard is moved in the slot so as to increasethe straightening effect and the device worn in the second positionuntil the toe has become accustomed to this second adjustment. The aboveoperations are repeated as often as may be necessary in order to obtainthe desired correction.

In order to protect the second toe from injury, by reason of contactwith the standard 7 and strap 13, I provide a cushion 14: which isplaced between the second toe and the standard.

It is evident: that many specifically different constructions can bedevised for the purpose of obtaining the above described results, but inorder to be satisfactory they must all be so constructed that theposition of the standard can be quickly and easily adjusted transverselyof the insole so that the straightening action can be increased as theconditions of the case may require. I therefore desire to claim, asbroadly as possible, the fundamental idea of having a transverselyadjustable means whereby the straightening can be accomplished grad-'ually so as not to cause any unnecessary discomfort to the wearer.

In applying the insole to the foot, this is preferably done before thefoot is inserted in the shoe and the insole held to the foot by means ofa rubber band, in the manner shown in Fig. 1, the rubber band beingindicated by the numeral 15. This rubber band should preferably be thinand of such size that it does not retard the circulation of the blood inthe foot, as it would naturally have to be worn as long as the shoe wason, as it cannot readily be removed. Instead of the rubber band, a strapmay be used which-may be unbuckled and removed when the shoe has beenapplied to the foot.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An insole adapted to be inserted intoa shoe and having a shapeconforming to the general outline of a human foot, said insole having anarrow slot extending in a substantially straight line transverselythereof near the front end, an anchoring member movable in said slot,toe-engaging means fastened to said anchoring member,

and means for clamping said member at any desired position along saidslot.

2. A device for straightening crooked toes comprising, in combination,an insole; a standard projecting from the upper side thereof; meanspermitting the standard to be moved to any desired position in a slotdirected transversely of the insole; and means for clamping the standardagainst movement in any desired transverse position.

3. A device for straightening crooked toes comprising, in combination,an insole; a standard projecting from the upper side thereof; meanspermitting the standard to be moved to any desired position in a slotdirected transversely of the insole; means for clan'iping the standardagainst movement in any desired transverse position; and a shieldadjustably secured to the standard.

l. An insole having a transverse elongated opening in the front endthereof; a metal plate secured in said opening, said plate having anelongated slot therein; a standard having a portion extending throughthe slot and projecting from the upper side thereof; and means forclamping said standard in any desired position along said slot.

5. An insole having a transverse elongated opening in the front endthereof; a metal plate secured in said opening, said plate having anelongated slot therein; a standard having a portion extending throughthe slot and projecting from the upper side thereof; means for clampingsaid sta dard in any desired position along said slot; and a shieldadjustably secured to the standard.

6. An insole having a transverse elongated opening in the front endthereof; a metal plate secured in said opening, said plate having anelongated slot therein; a standard having a portion extending throughthe slot and projecting from the upper side thereof; a head on one endof said standard adapted to engage one side of the plate; a nutthreadedly connected to the standard, said nut being adapted to bescrewed into contact with the plate for the purpose of clamping thestandard against movement; and a plate secured to the standard forengaging the inner side of a toe.

7. A device for straightening toes comprising an insole having a narrowslot extending in a substantially straight line transversely thereof; amember movable along said slot, said member having a plate secured toone side thereof; means for. adjusting said plate with respect to saidmember, and means for clamping said member at any desired position alongsaid slot.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

-. V MAX SAHLIN.

